Tara Maclay

Tara Maclay first appears in Hush, where she is part of a group of wiccans at UC Sunnydale. Willow Rosenberg notices her when she tries but fails to speak up during a meeting. Initially she lacks confidence and has a bit of a stutter, but this improves as time goes on.

She's been practicing magic for a lot longer than Willow, but thinks that Willow has a lot more raw power. It takes a bit of time before she's introduced to the gang, and the first time she meets Buffy Summers is actually when Faith is in her body. Tara is the one who realizes something is wrong and helps Willow do a spell to find out exactly what's going on.

Although they're friends initially, Tara is obviously attracted to her but Willow takes a while to realize she also has feelings for Tara. When Oz comes back, Tara naturally assumes Willow will get back together with him and steps aside in an instant, but Willow surprises her and chooses her.

Because of the strain on the gang's cohesiveness late in the season, Tara doesn't really fully become part of the Scooby Gang until Season 5. She immediately feels a connection to Dawn Summers, knowing what it's like to feel like an outsider. Tara is also forced to confront the fact that she has always told that the women in her family have demon in them and that it comes out when they turn twenty. She does a spell to prevent this from being seen by the others but it prevents them from seeing all demons, period. Her father and brother demand she come home even after it comes out that they were lying, but the gang stands up for her and says that they're her family now.

Toward the end of the season, Glory uses her mind suck ability and Tara loses her sanity. This actually helps them a bit as during the finale, The Gift, she leads them to where the ritual is taking place. Willow is then able to do a spell that restores Tara's mind. After Buffy dies, Willow and Tara move into Buffy's house to take care of Dawn. Tara begins having doubts about how much Willow is using magic, which comes to a head when Willow lies about it. Tara breaks up with her and moves out. She may not have as much power as Willow, but over time, she displays plenty of her own and helps the group out at times. She's also the one Buffy confides in about her "relationship" with Spike, and Tara reassures her that it's okay, despite Buffy not agreeing.

Tara sticks up for Willow in Older and Far Away when the others want her to do a spell to help them get out of the house, then Tara tells her that she's glad Willow is doing better. They get back together but Tara is then killed in Seeing Red. Her last appearance is Villains, in which her dead body is seen a few times.